It’s Thursday afternoon and I just got back to the office. This week seems to be flying by while simultaneously taking an eternity for me. Life and work have been busy, which is a good place to be, but I find myself feeling a little stressed. So when I was offered the chance to sit down with iconic American designer Todd Snyder to talk about his collaboration with Timex, I honestly didn’t know if I had the time. Thankfully I made it, because I left that interview feeling so inspired about working hard, dedication, and staying true to the things that I love. The watch business is something many people feel passionate about, with many young people now taking part in businesses such as Watch Trading Academy in order to start their own watch trading. It’s a business that takes effort and determination, but can give major rewards to those who deserve it. Todd’s story and concept behind collaborating with one of the world’s most famous time piece brands left me feeling like anything can happen if you work hard enough at it – and so it’s back to work for me before I jet off to the cocktail party he is hosting tonight in Toronto!
You can check out the beautiful new watches in the #TimexToddSnyder collection (available at Hudson’s Bay) here – but here are a few of my favourites below before we jump into 5 questions with Todd Snyder from earlier today.
Having the chance to sit down one on one with a designer is one of my favourite things to do. Having learnt from one of the best in the business, I always try to ask them questions that make them think or allow me to get into their headspace on a certain topic. Without further ado, here at the five questions I thought of and what Todd had to say!
1.Todd tell us what were three words that came to mind when the Timex team approached you. As in what are the three words that come to mind when you hear the name Timex.
“Original. Exciting. Iconic.”
2. Based on the collaborations you’ve now done with Timex and Champion, while maintaining your classic American style, what do you see the fashion world evolving into? Does it lay in collaboration between iconic brands or is there room for new names to influence the future?
“Wow, philosophical question! I think I came about because I’ve been in the industry a long time. I started my own collection in 2011, so there’s always going to be room for newness. That’s what the consumer wants today, from new companies popping up selling sheets to eyewear. The consumer wants to try new things and they’re wanting to try something different. They’re not buying into the same old way of buying things.
Collaborations are really interesting, because it gives an established brand like Timex to play in a different field, but allows me to play in a different field as well because I don’t have the heritage. TO be able to combine those two is powerful – I mean, if I wanted to launch my own watch brand I couldn’t say this has been around since the 70s. I don’t have that story – and there’s so much about today that people want to know the back story of what they are buying and supporting, particularly when it comes to buying something classic like a silver wrist watch.”
3. GQ called you “The Man Who Taught Men to Love Clothes” and went so far as to call you the most influential menswear designer of your generation. Is that what you set out to do with your brand when you started on your path in Iowa? Could you ever have imagined you would be collaborating with the most influential time piece brand?
“I knew that there was a space in between ‘designer’ and The Gap. I always found it ridiculous that I would go into shopping centres and shirts were $350-$400, and a suit was $2000. I know what goes into it. And then you would go to J.Crew or Club Monaco and the price was $70. To me, I always wanted to create something in between. I’ve always believed that great design doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, and I wanted to offer that to my customer. Something that is affordable and on trend, without being too far ahead of trends either. I’ve always called myself a pragmatic designer because I want my clothes to solve a problem. If a guy is going to a wedding or a first job interview, what is he wearing? And having something that is an investment that you wear once and never wear again. That’s kind of how I think about a lot of things – in a more practical sense.
To be able to work with Timex, I mean… I never really thought about doing collaborations until I started working at J.Crew. Why would I try to launch a watch on my own if I could create an amazing partnership with someone who already had an amazing watch?”
4. Tell us three words that came to mind when you sat down to create this iconic collaboration
“Quality. Design. Value.
What I’ve always liked about Timex is they’ve got this great name, they’ve got this great heritage, and there’s a coolness to that. Meaning they’ve been around since the beginning. I mean they basically invented the wrist watch and there is something to be said about that. There’s this whole lineage of history to explore. There is a timeless classic aspect to the brand that speaks just as well today as it did for some designs in the 70s.”
5. I know that I personally love the exclusive Marlin mesh band watch in silver, but which watch did you reach for this morning when you were getting ready and why?
“Well that’s easy. I grabbed the Blackjack – originally it had a smaller face with a stainless steel casing. But we made it bigger, changed it to the black casing, make it a little more sleek. It’s one of my favourites – but I have a hard time picking a favourite because they’re all unique and speak to different styles. I love working with Timex because it is such a privilege to do something unique with a very successful company. The fact that they allow me to be a part of it is such an honour.”
After chatting a bit more with Todd about each of the watches, I took the photo above and made my way back to my desk. I can’t wait to celebrate tonight in Toronto with media friends who will see the watches for the first time. I encourage you to check out the full collection and pick your favourites. Thank you to Timex and to Todd Snyder for taking the time to chat with us. We look forward to celebrating with you tonight here in Toronto and around the world as the collection continues to shine.
I encourage you to check out the TIMEX website. And of course, don’t forget to join in on the social media conversation taking place around the world by following @TIMEX on Twitter and Instagram. Use and follow the #Timex and #TimexToddSnyder hashtags to show us your favourite fall watch. I can’t wait to see what you pick!
For more behind the scenes of this and other amazing brands we are working with around the world, make sure to follow along with the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account. We would love to have you join on our adventures!
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Photos: All social media accounts listed above, TIMEX & Daniel Reyes
Cheers!
Mobile photos were taken with my #HuaweiP20Pro on the Rogers network